Governor Stein urges caution on roads as cold, dangerous conditions linger

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — Governor Josh Stein urged residents to remain cautious on roadways and avoid unnecessary travel as North Carolina continues to deal with lingering impacts from this weekend’s snowstorm and dangerously cold temperatures.

“While the storm has passed, the snow remains and our roads will remain dicey in the days ahead,” Stein said. “Please continue to avoid unnecessary travel and use caution if you must drive. I’m thankful for all the NCDOT employees and contractors working across North Carolina to clear the roads and keep people safe.”

Snow across eastern North Carolina is expected to continue pushing offshore, ending by mid-morning with dry conditions moving in statewide. Gusty winds are forecast to continue Sunday.

High temperatures Sunday are expected to remain in the 20s and low 30s. Daytime wind chills will stay in the single digits in the mountains and in the teens elsewhere. Overnight lows are forecast to fall into the single digits and teens, with wind chills dropping to single digits or below zero.

State emergency officials reiterated the call to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.

“If you must travel, make sure you have a disaster supply kit in your vehicle, which includes blankets, extra clothing, food, water, a flashlight, an ice scraper and a way to charge your cell phone,” said NC Emergency Management Chief of Staff Don Campbell. “And slow down.”

Transportation officials say significant snow accumulation has made travel treacherous in many areas, and those conditions are expected to persist for several days due to prolonged bitter cold.

“Yesterday, there were a lot of people across North Carolina who were driving in very dangerous conditions, which led to a significant number of crashes and cars stuck on the roads,” said State Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson. “If you do have to drive, slow down and give our teams and other first responders lots of distance.”

Crews with the North Carolina Department of Transportation were deployed statewide beginning Saturday as heavy snow covered the Piedmont, mountains and coastal areas. By Sunday morning, crews had spread more than 15,000 tons of salt and continued plowing interstates, highways and other major roadways. More than 2,500 NCDOT employees and contractors have been working throughout the weekend using trucks with plows and spreaders, along with motor graders to clear stubborn snow and ice.

NCDOT said it is prioritizing interstates and major highways first before moving on to other key connecting routes. Snow-clearing operations are expected to take several days due to below-freezing daytime temperatures and subfreezing conditions overnight.